Heart-shaped Chocolate Cake for V-day!!

Wishing all of you a very Happy Valentines Day!!

I think this is the first time that we,as a couple are celebrating V-day with wishing each other,cake cutting and all..no,we are not newly married and this is not our first v-day together.Its just that we didn’t think it quite mattered[not that we do now,but still].I think the prime reason I made a cake is to put it up on the blog;-).

Few weeks back,while talking to a friend casually[it was her first v-day,btw],she asked me to suggest something to surprise her hubby.She wanted me to try something out so that she can reproduce it.I had no clue and I asked her to try out the easiest chocolate cake in the MW.That got me thinking,while the whole world is celebrating,why should I step behind.

I decided to bake something specially for V-day.Can a heart shaped cake be far behind when it came to the day of the cupid,day of the heart?Absolutely not,so heart-shaped chocolate cake it is!!

Cake making experience- Though I’ve baked many cakes before,some in the MW and some in the convection mode,this is the first time I am frosting it.I am scared and develop cold feet whenever it comes to frosting/icing and I still do.During one of our chats,a dear dear friend Purnima gave me the much required confidence boost and told me that I can do it if I try.She was sweet enough to send me a couple of helpful links so that I can bake and frost the cake smoothly.After a lot of Yes-No thoughts,I finally decided to bake this cake and frost it.I thought in case I feel scared in between,we can always relish the plain cake.The cake came out great!Chocolatey and super moist and tastes great with whipped cream frosting…yummmm!!!I followed VahChef’s recipe for frosting.

Heart shaped Chocolate Cake for Valentine’s Day
[Adapted from Deeba's Chocolate Yogurt Cake recipe]

Ingredients

For the Cake

Flour - 1 ½ cups
Wholewheat flour – ½ cup
Cocoa - 2/3 cup

Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Pinch of salt
Butter – ½ cup,at room temperature
Sugar - 1 cup[I used half a cup of Demerara sugar too]-So altogether 1 ½ cups
Eggs - 2
Yogurt - 1 ½ cups
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Method

Grease well & line a heart-shaped pan, & preheat the oven to 180*C.
Sift both the flours,baking powder,baking soda,salt &cocoa. Keep aside.
Beat the butter & sugar. Add eggs & beat again. Add vanilla extract & beat.
Now alternatively add the flour mix & yogurt till well incorporated.
Turn into the cake pan, level out & bake for 45 minutes or until done.
Once done, cool in pan for 5 minutes, turn out on rack.

For the frosting

Whipped Cream – 300 ml[I used a pack and a half of Amul Fresh Cream]
Sugar – 5 tsps
Cherries – a few,chopped-reserve a few for top[I used Cherries in Sugar syrup]
Strawberry Crush – 2 tbsp mixed with 2 tbsp water[Can replace this with thin sugar syrup]
Chocolate shavings/flakes – as required for the topping

Assembling the cake

Whip the cream and sugar till soft peaks form.
Cut the cake horizontally into three or more layers.
Keep one layer on the serving plate and pour few drops of strawberry crush-syrup.
Spread 2/3 of the whipped cream on top.
Sprinkle few chopped cherries on top.
Repeat with the 2 layers.
For the final finish,sprinkle chocolate flakes on top and the sides.
Arrange few cherries on top.
Slice and serve it to your loved ones!!!

Sending this Heart to

Heart Shaped foods Event at Bindiya's blog,

Cook & Create with Luv for Luv at Priyanka's blog,

Just for you at Alka's blog.